Four Running Mistakes To Avoid This Fall That Could Land You In Physical Therapy

Running is a healthy sport, but it's also a sport that tends to put a great deal of stress on the athlete's body. A lot of runners end up in physical therapy because they develop chronic injuries of the knee, hip, or another part of the body.

By avoiding the following four running mistakes, you can maintain your competitivity while also avoiding injuries that will land you in physical therapy:

Not investing in high quality shoes

The quality of your shoes can have a huge impact on whether or not you develop an injury to your legs, feet, or even back. You not only need to invest in quality running shoes, but you also need to make sure your shoes fit properly.

If you've suffered injuries in the past due to arch issues, you should definitely look into orthotics. Orthotics are a great way to help you avoid injuries caused by gait or arch issues. 

Focusing entirely on cardiovascular exercise and never working on muscle training

One of the biggest reasons why runners end up in physical therapy is muscular weakness. Running is a cardiovascular exercise, but it puts strain on the joints that can be alleviated by muscular strength.

Physical therapy is all about building up the muscles to minimize strain on joints and bones. At the same time, weight training can also improve your competitiveness as a runner because it makes your body stronger. 

Add weight training to your workout regime to keep chronic injuries from causing you to have to sit out some of your most anticipated runs and races.

Shirking on your warm up and cool down routines

Warming up and cooling down by stretching out your muscles is very important in minimizing the strain that runs put on your body. Unfortunately, a lot of runners tend to shirk on warming up and cooling down when they're trying to fit workouts into their busy schedules.

Never skip a warm up or cool down even if you're only going for a relatively short run to avoid injury. 

Ignoring signs from your body indicating that you need a break

Runners tend to be highly competitive and disciplined. However, being too hard on your body will cause more harm than good in the long run.

Don't overdo it in your workout regime. Training too hard will set you back. Listen to your body and sit out a day if you are experiencing considerable soreness or discomfort. For more information, contact companies like DeSoto Memorial Hospital.


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